ABPA - Australian Bush Poets Association

G'day,
I am delighted to be one of the first to post on the new super duper ABPA website.
To anyone who does not know me - I am a grandmother and I live in the Illawarra. I am proud of my Italian background but am fiercely Australian. I began writing Bush Poetry when I retired from the work force. Now I work but don't get a wage. (as do all homemakers). My husband, Wayne, and I attend several Folk Music Festivals round south coast NSW and have been attending the National Folk Festival in ACT at Easter since 2001. I write and recite (and have had a little success) Rhyming Poetry.

I first came to Australian Bush Poetry when I discovered Vic Jefferies and Barry Lake reciting at the Poets Breakfast at the Majors Creek Folk Festival in 2001. By the following year I had written two poems and by the same festival in 2003 I had written seven poems. Now I write at least one poem every week. I still get a fit of stage fright every time I am about to 'go on'. Writing and reciting Bush Verse has almost taken over my life. I have been published in various anthologies including the Bourke and Wills 150 years (with forward by Jack Thompson), 'Award Winning Australian Writers of 2010', each of the year 2007,8,9 anthologies produced by the Bronze Swagman and other publications.

I can be contacted through the ABPA.

G'day Zondrae, Welcome and congatulations on being the very first 'poster' ...
Still a few bugs to iron out but I think it will scrub up OK ...

G'day
Really pleased to be back on air. Suffering withdrawals. I am a member of the Hunter Bush Poets. A married woman of 50years and write (but due to a bad memory) am unable to perform Bush Poetry
Keep up the good work
Val W
Perhaps I could have worded my intro much Better.
I have been married for 50 years not a woman of 50years. That would probably be wishful thinking Lol.

So pleased to be back on-line. I have missed you all so much!

I was introduced to the ABPA site in 2009 and my love of bush poetry began from that moment. I have been writing poetry for 13 months and I can't imagine life without it now.

Heather

And me, and me. I'm back too. I used to be trublu (well I still am) but took the opportunity to change my user name to my real name.

Oh good Leonie,

Now I don't have to remember if it's tru or Leonie or - what was the other one????

Freckles over at Bush Verse. Probably should think about changing that too.

Edited to add ... Actually I probably should put a little note under my signature here to tell people who I used to be. Off to do that.

Me too. The old battler misses you mob

G'day all, Ross from Alice Springs here, good to be back.

Yes! It's a good feeling getting back together again.
A big hello to everyone.
Thanks to Andy for keeping the poetry scene alive for so long.
I also like the fact that we are using our own names instead of nom-de-wotsits.
I like to know who it is that I'm talking to - or is it 'to whom I am talking?

Joe